I reached Rampura Agucha mines near Bhilwara, Rajasthan on 23rd December 1982, to conduct a faunal survey. The following day, while scanning the shallow lake at Agucha village for aquatic birds I sighted two pairs of birds on the opposite shore of the lake.

The birds were very active and occasionally dived like cormorants. Since the distance was too great to identify them even with field glasses of 10×50, I reduced the distance till I was able to see the details of the birds.

They had long necks and pointed bills and two black ear tufts pointing backwards. Due to elongated black feathers below the head, the throat appeared puffed up. The upper parts were dark brown. I consulted the Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (compact edition) by Salim Ali and S. Dillon Ripley.

The characteristics of the birds were similar to Great Crested Grebe. Strangely enough the lake has almost no reeds or other aquatic vegetation.

According to the Handbook, apart from Bharatpur this is the first sighting of these birds in Rajasthan.

Published in Journal of Bombay Natural History Society:

Tehsin, R. H. (1990) Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus cristatus) – Near Bhilwara.

J. Bom. Nat. Hist. Soc. 87(2): 289